The University of Sheffield
Complaints and Appeals Procedures

Procedures for the Conduct of Appeals

Notes on the Procedures for the Conduct of Appeals established under the Regulations relating to Academic Appeals

Introduction

  1. The Regulations relating to Academic Appeals define the circumstances under which a student may appeal against a recommended grade for any module or degree classification or examination result.
  2. It is the responsibility of a student to notify their department, at the earliest opportunity if there are any extenuating circumstances which might have a bearing on their examination performance, so that wherever possible this may be brought to the attention of the Board of Examiners at the appropriate time. It is also a student's responsibility to check his or her examination results.
  3. A student wishing to appeal must make a written application (via Student Services) to the appropriate Faculty Officer. Please use the University’s academic appeals form. If an application is received within the specified time-limits (i.e. within 28 working days for a candidate for a Higher Degree by research or 14 working days for other students) but is insufficiently detailed to enable the Faculty Officer to form a judgment, the student should be asked to provide the necessary additional information.
  4. If after consulting with the Head of Department the Faculty Officer is satisfied that the appeal should be upheld or that no prima facie case is established, the student should be notified in writing of that decision within 28 working days (of the receipt of the appeal). If this is not possible, the student will be informed in writing of the progress made towards the consideration of their appeal. Where the Head of Department has provided written comments in response to the student's appeal, a copy of those comments will normally be sent to the student at the time the decision is notified.

Procedure for an Academic Appeals Committee

  1. If the Faculty Officer decides to establish an Academic Appeals Committee, the student must first be given notice in writing of that decision and invited to opt either for the appeal to be dealt with:
    (a) on written submissions or
    (b) at an oral hearing.
    A Secretary to the Committee shall be appointed.

Committee procedure

  1. Where the appeal is to be dealt with on written submissions, the student will be required to submit these by a specified date. The Secretary should obtain the written comments of the Department on the written submissions of the student, again by a specified date. These comments should be supplied to the student, with an invitation to submit any response to those comments by a specified date.
  2. Where there is to be an oral hearing, the student should be informed of the date, time and place of the hearing. They should be asked to confirm in writing not later than 3 working days in advance of the hearing whether a friend or adviser will be present, and if so, to provide the name and status of that friend or adviser and an indication of whether or not they are legally qualified. The student should also notify the Secretary at least 3 working days beforehand of the names of any witnesses they may wish to call. The Secretary should inform the student of the membership of the Committee in advance of the hearing. If the student objects to any member, the reasons for that objection should be provided in writing to the Secretary. The Chairman will then determine whether or not that member should be excluded from consideration of the case. If the student objects to the Chairman, the Secretary should be informed in writing and the members shall determine whether the student’s objection should be upheld.
  3. The conduct of the hearing is governed by Regulation 8. If the student fails to attend the hearing, the Committee may, if it is satisfied that due notice had been given, proceed in the student's absence on the basis of the material available to it, or may adjourn to a later date.
  4. After the meeting of the Academic Appeals Committee, the Secretary will notify the student in writing of the decision.

Recourse to Student Complaints Procedure

  1. Where an academic appeal has not been resolved to a student’s satisfaction, there is an opportunity to make application for a review under the Student Complaints Procedure.

Student Complaints Procedure

June 2009

Updated November 2011